Growing up in New York City teaches you the importance of family. Not just mother and brother family, or even uncle and cousin family. Nah, it teaches you about the family on your block and in your neighborhood. Because growing up in New York City isn’t easy.

See, the thing that nobody who’s from here wants to admit, but we all know, is that we’re all crazy. We’re crazy for living this way, on top of each other, people all around.

And because there are so many sounds, people and moments packed into one day, New Yorkers are forever bonded together into one frantic Cup of Noodles, with a whole bunch of different flavors that only we know the taste of.

Anthony Mason is family for me. We both come from Queens. We both love basketball. And that’s where our similarities end. But that’s completely fine, because for me, and the rest of Queens and New York City, Anthony Mason is family. He represented everything we were raised to believe.

But this isn’t my story. Or even Mase’s story. This story belongs to Mase’s son, Anthony Jr.

Anthony Jr is Mase’s oldest son. He’s 29 now, and has stopped playing professional ball, turning his attention to helping youth realize how important it is to be more than just an athlete. And he’s of course keeping his father’s name alive. Family.

“It’s about your family,” Mase says. “It’s all about what you’re gonna leave behind for those that are around you.”

We’re sitting outside his father’s favorite barbershop, Cutty’s Hair Studio, in Jamaica, Queens, when he says that. Before we park ourselves on the sidewalk, Mase introduces me to his uncle and daps up everyone sitting in the shop. The walls are lined with Knicks, Hornets and Heat jerseys. Pictures and newspaper clippings of one Queens’ most influential men are everywhere. It’s all love in there, family roots running just as deep as the F Train beneath us.

Anthony Jr just hung up his sneakers last year. He carved out a nice pro career, earning a training camp spot with LeBron’s 2010 Miami team, making stops overseas in Cypres, Venezuela and Italy. He also averaged 15 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists in three seasons for the Sioux Falls Skyforce. With a big smile he says he’s still got people out in South Dakota.

These days Mase is living full time in Queens. He grew up in Memphis with his mother, coming back up to New York on the regular to spend time with his father. Then when he committed to play for St. John’s, he was just 20 minutes from where his father grew up.

After four years at St. John’s, Junior’s game was similar to Senior’s. They both came at you in waves, punishing you for even trying to compete against them. They were on-court bullies. And while Senior was a relentless force who made plays for others, Junior became a relentless force who made the rim his personal punching bag.

Off the court, though, the Masons couldn’t be nicer. The first time I met both of them was 2007, at Senior’s basketball camp in upstate New York when they both came up on the last day of camp. Senior chopped it up with every single camper and counselor who was there, putting on dribbling and shooting exhibitions. His handle was too tough.

He didn’t think I was from Queens when I was introduced to him. Then he saw me pass and dribble a few times and he quickly corrected himself, patted me on the head and with a big, full laugh, said, “You a good passer, my man.” Damn. Family.

Family is on Anthony Jr’s mind every day. He feels the need to provide for the community that his father grew up in and the one that helped to shape him.

“You should give back to your community that you grew up in,” Mase says. “It flourishes the community, the people around it, it flourishes your environment. It’s too many stories of, ‘I’m the only one from my town.’ Why? Like, why? If you is, go back. More of us need to go back, see what’s up.”

But Mase is doing more than just seeing what’s up. He and business partner Vance Toure have started Family on Three, a youth enrichment program designed to show inner city kids that there’s more to life than just sports.

On the weekends, Mase, Toure and whoever else they pick up, (DJs, entertainers, former ball players) take a group of 30-40 kids and teach them about financial literacy, health and nutrition, resume building and of course, basketball. They break the day up by splitting the class up, sending some of the kids to the court and some of the kids to study hall, a lesson Mase learned during his time at St. John’s.

“You get your brain fixed on ‘I gotta go to class and I gotta get this court work in.’ [St. John’s] always teaches us both off the court and on the court, you gotta be prepared,” Mase says.

Family on Three started in November 2015, when Toure brought a few quiet, shy kids to talk to Mase about life and sports.

“When he brought them over there I was interacting with them, they were so…”

Mase’s eyes get big and his shoulders get higher. He shows how animated they got. He did for them what his father did for me.

“He was like, ‘Bro, you gotta do something that’s catered to us speaking to these kids!’ That’s how we really got it.”

And of course, Anthony Jr is doing all of this with Anthony Sr heavily on his mind.

“It’s in honor of my father. If you know about his career, he’s an on and off the court type of guy too.

“It’s the only thing to do,” Mase continues. “Why wouldn’t I be doing something to honor my pops? If I wasn’t, you know how quick stuff passes. How great this man was, it doesn’t matter. The thing about my pops, he’s a real iconic figure for New York. It’s a responsibility because of who he was. He’s bigger in New York than a lot of people.”

It goes back to family. Mase says Patrick Ewing and Charles Oakley still keep in touch. And John Starks gave the initial start-up donation for Family on Three and still shows much love for the foundation.

“Out of all them stars, he was the hometown kid,” Mase says. “He was the one that grew up in your backyard.”

Junior has gone back to that backyard to honor Senior as much as he can. It started with the renaming of the court at Springfield High School, where Senior made a name for himself. After Mase Court, Junior worked closely with the Senator’s and Councilmen’s office to get the city to name 147th street and Rockaway Boulevard, Anthony Mason Way.

“People feel like that man was family in New York,” Mase says. Facts. “He’s the heart and soul of the New York Knicks at the best time when they were the New York Knicks.” Facts. “Other than the original greats, Anthony Mason was that for the Knicks.

“He was ahead of his time. He was too live. If there was social media when my pops was in the NBA? Oh my God. It would’ve been over. His haircuts? He was in rap videos. He was doing movies.”

Anthony Jr. knows he’s ahead of his time with Family on Three.

“You don’t wait ’til you 39,” Mase says. “Don’t wait ’til you’re an old head, retired. Start now when you still relate to your community. Kids can relate and listen to what I got to say. When kids look at older people, they see authority. They kinda shy away. Whereas, when they look at me, they feel like I’m one of them.”

That trust is what’s driving Yung Mase to eventually expand into more schools and open up his own facility with a big-ass “Family on Three: Business, Arts and Athletics” sign on the outside.

“You gotta teach them that balance,” Mase says. “If you move a kid and expose him to more than just one thing, the things that come along with, then you’ll be able to take more advantage of what’s going on. Like what Jay Z said, ‘You’re not a business, you’re a business man.’”

Mase has a whole bunch planned for the future, including a radio show, a tournament at O’Connell Park in Queens (!) and more expansion for Family on Three. His passion for creativity and storytelling is bleeding over into Family on Three. He’s using his commutations degree (he studied film production and writing at SJU) to help kids create something bigger than themselves. He’s building a family that includes all of New York.

“My pops was always talking about family,” Mase says.

Family.

Mase and I are walking along Parsons Boulevard, just talking about nothing and everything. It’s been damn near 10 years since I met him for a split-second in upstate New York. But it doesn’t feel like that. It feels like we’ve been talking to each other all throughout those years. Family.

Mase is pretty much a carbon copy of his father. His face and height, his droopy eyes that are just waiting to come to life when the moment’s right. His people-first attitude, the ease of talking to him. The only thing that’s different is Junior’s slight southern drawl. Words ooze out for him. They jumped out for Senior.

One of the final things Mase says before I put the recorder away is striking. It would make his father proud.

“Be you,” he says. “You might miss out on something that you could be really good at. You never know. You just never know.”

“I think it’s … disrespectful,” said Oak. “I know Fat Joe, nice guy, but I played with Mason and I always got his back. Biggie ain’t here to tell the real truth. Definitely disrespectful, you don’t talk about a guy after he’s deceased.”

]]>http://www.slamonline.com/media/slam-tv/diddy-story-to-tell-anthony-mason/feed/0SLAMonlineFat Joe Regrets Saying That The Notorious B.I.G.’s ‘I Got a Story to Tell’ Was About Anthony Masonhttp://www.slamonline.com/nba/fat-joe-anthony-mason-notorious-big-regret/
http://www.slamonline.com/nba/fat-joe-anthony-mason-notorious-big-regret/#respondWed, 18 May 2016 21:12:55 +0000http://www.slamonline.com/?p=398261

"When I did the interview, it slipped. I didn’t realize nobody else knew. I thought everybody knew,” said Fat Joe.

Earlier this week Fat Joe made headlines when he told ESPN’s Highly Questionable that The Notorious B.I.G.’s “I Got a Story to Tell” was about the late Anthony Mason. Days after the story made the rounds, Joe isn’t back tracking on the statement, but he does feel bad about blowing up Mase’s spot.

“I regret saying that. See, I knew about it…[but] I don’t know if it was my place to say that,” Fat Joe candidly told Hip-Hop Wired. “I ain’t taking nothing back, it is what it is. I’m just saying I don’t know if it was my place to say that.”

Joe, a devoted New York Knicks fans, knew both BIG and Anthony Mason, the latter who passed away at 48 years old in 2015. Which is how he become privy to the info.

“The whole time he played in New York we [were] partying in the clubs together. Me and Charles Oakley, everybody,” explained Joe. “I love Anthony Mason, man, he’s as real as it get. He’s a respectable guy. Rest in peace. I was f*cked up when Ant Mason died.”

He adds, “When I did the interview, it slipped. I didn’t realize nobody else knew. I thought everybody knew.”

Since the release of The Notorious B.I.G.’s “I Got a Story to Tell” in ’97, hip-hop fans have been trying to figure out which Knicks player Biggie robbed for thousands of dollars when a night of infidelity turned into an unplanned heist.

Back in ’14, former Knick John Starks went on ESPN’s Highly Questionable with Dan Le Batard and Bomani Jones and squashed the rumor that Big’s “she get d*ck from a player on the New York Knicks” lyric was about him. Since then, Le Batard and Jones have been on the case to figure out who the player was.

On yesterday’s show, the hosts were joined by rapper and Knicks fan Fat Joe who spilled the beans on who was on the wrong side of Biggie’s pistol.

“I could tell you but I don’t want to be disrespectful,” said Joe. “It was about Anthony Mason. Rest In Peace.”

Mason passed away in February ’15 at the age of 48. The one-time all-star appeared in Diamond D’s “Best Kept Secret” video in ’92.

To describe the late Anthony Mason as a “former NBA player” does not begin to capture the ways in which he left his imprint on the game, the collective hoops consciousness, or our individual imaginations. On December 22, 1995, I returned home from a year as a student in South America in a state of crazy culture shock. I was leaving an area in the heart of its summer where fruit was so ripe it would fall to pieces in your palm and returned home to New York City: cold, wet, dirty, 1995 New York City, where it officially got dark at 4:30 p.m., but where the shadows worked around the clock. No hipsters. No Taylor Swift. Just New York City.

To ease the transition, a friend of the family scored me two prime tickets to watch the Knicks play a new expansion team named after a Spielberg movie, the Toronto Raptors.

I hadn’t been able to pay attention to hoops while gone in those pre-internet days and was stunned to learn Knicks coach Pat Riley had faxed in his resignation and hightailed it to Miami. Now, for reasons that remain incomprehensible, my team hired as their new coach the League’s mad scientist of run-and-gun, Don Nelson. The lunch pail, beat-your-ass, Ewing, Oakley, Starks, grind-it-out Knicks hired the guy who turned Manute Bol into a three-point shooting weapon. I asked my buddy Arya how in the hell would the architect of the Golden State Warriors’ Run-TMC put his “Nellie stamp” on this blue-collar collection of sharp elbows and head butts? Arya smiled and said four words: “Mase is running point.” My eyes widened to anime dimensions. Anthony Mason, Riley’s barrel chested off-the-bench power-forward enforcer, the guy who could make Charles Oakley look subtle, was running point. Yes, there had been moments when he could show a shockingly sweet handle and deft ability to lead a fast break, but this seemed like Nelson had been drinking LSD-laced Kool Aid.

But that is exactly what Nelson had set up. Mase was guarded that night by a Raptors rookie named Damon Stoudamire who was on the path to Rookie of the Year honors—not to mention 5-9 on tip-toes. That night, I saw my first ever power-point-forward, a position that LeBron has since turned into sculpted, fine art, but then was the shock of the new. I will never forget Stoudamire trying to navigate himself around Mase’s thighs to even try and swipe at the ball. Mase dominated, and that season, the former reserve who did not even make the League until he was 23 and had played across the globe, led the NBA in minutes while averaging 15 points, over 9 boards and 4.5 assists per game.

Like many a great artist, neither Don Nelson nor Anthony Mason were appreciated in their time, and others have reaped the benefits of their flouting of conventions. Yet while Nelson is barely a footnote in Knicks history, Mason still looms incredibly large, especially for a player who was in New York for only five seasons. The outpouring following his death was stunning, as teammates, media members and fans shared memories that acted on social media like it was a 96-hour wake. Yes, it’s cliché, but the root of the melancholy was seeing a person who played with so much heart dying way too young at age 48 from a massive heart attack. It was also the fact that Mason, more than any other Knick of the last quarter century, embodied New York City. He was tough as hell and brilliantly creative. He’d either dazzle you with a crossover followed by a look-away pass, or he’d knock you the hell out. Either ending was a distinct possibility every single time down the court. It drove Pat Riley crazy, it drove Don Nelson to ecstasy and it drove the fans of 1995 in pre-gentrification New York City to see themselves reflected in his persona.

After that game against the Raptors, I extended my hand and Mase reached over to give me a pound. He was larger than life, but never wanted to stand apart. For me, for the fans, for the city, he was the people’s superstar at that last moment in time when the stars of New York were still within arm’s length. Rest in peace.

Dave Zirin is a SLAM contributor and the Sports Editor of The Nation. Follow him on Twitter @EdgeofSports.

For 48 years, two months and two weeks, Anthony George Douglass Mason lived the New York City life that I dreamed of living: He played for the Knicks, appeared in a Woody Allen movie, is a lyric to a Beastie Boys song and owned an Italian restaurant in Harlem.

Mason and I both came to the Knicks in 1991—him as a power forward, me as a season ticket holder. Early into his five years with his hometown team, he was given the nickname “The Locksmith.” Utilizing his larger-than-average brawn and uniquely clever brain, with a heavy sprinkling of street smarts from his borough of Queens, he helped his teammates get into their lockers if they misplaced their keys or forgot their combinations. “The Locksmith” t-shirts with Anthony’s face were briefly sold at Madison Square Garden.

Basketball, more so than most sports, is about people and personality. The players are big and the relationship with the fans is intimate. Spectators literally sit on the field of play, the uniform is a mere tank top and shorts and the players can hear and often respond to what is said to them. The game is a fast, in situ flow of bruises and beauty. In a sport archived through images, Anthony Mason leaves behind a grand visual resume.

Curated in my Mason montage is Charles Barkley jumping over the scorer’s table on MLK day 1993 to chase down referee Jim Clark claiming he was fouled by Mase. Mason responded in his post-game remarks: “If he was fouled by me, he would not have been able to jump over the scorer’s table.”

Another picture of Mase is from the Spring of ’94 as he walked through Madison Square Garden high fiving his New York brethren, including myself during the Rangers second round series close out game against the Capitals. His crisp white Rangers sweater was more noticeable than Messier that night.

Then there is the night club scene in Woody Allen’s film Celebrity, featuring a young supermodel with the sniffles played by Charlize Theron. Appearing on the screen is Mason to offer her Echinacea as he tells her “it helps in fighting colds and infections.”

Like a locksmith, his game was both force and finesse. If you were not aware of this, he literally spelled it out for you on the side of his head, carving out words and images with each new haircut. In addition to his wonderfully colorful style, Mason could play. He had an incredible handle and amazing court vision, providing playground passes and a consistent and compact lefty mini hook from just about anywhere eight feet from the rim. In fact, he was the only player I knew of who could dribble up the court without the fear of turning the ball over and then head down to the other end and drop back in the paint to contain Hakeem Olajuwon.

One can debate who the more skilled Knicks players to wear the uniform have been, but there is no question that, on the court, no one worked harder than Anthony Mason. And no one worked more—he holds the Knick’s record for minutes played in a season at 3,457 (averaging 44 mpg while playing all 82 in 1996). As such, I, we—NYC—embraced him because we could relate to him. New York is a city that values truth, strength and even some vulnerability. Anthony Mason was real and we recognized his real. This is why he resonates deep in mine and the collective hearts of the Knicks fan base.

When I graduated from NYU, I clownishly wrote down the name Anthony Mason on the card for the announcer to read as I walked across the stage at Carnegie Hall. He wasn’t me, and I didn’t want to be him, but he was us—a tough and determined New Yorker and I hoped to infuse some of that as I nervously embarked on what is currently an 18-year career as a public high school English teacher in New York.

July 14, 1996 was the day Mason was traded for Larry Johnson. Over the next few years I held on to my Knicks tickets but made sure to wear Mason’s Charlotte No. 14, then his Heat No. 14 and finally a Milwaukee No. 17 jersey when he returned to the Garden with those teams.

I have a good memory for most things, and particularly Anthony Mason and the Knicks. But this past December 14, I texted SLAM Editor-in-Chief Ben Osborne to say “Happy 50th Anthony Mason.” Ben quickly corrected me that Mase was only 48. I have a good memory but also have dyslexia and sometimes mess up numbers. Ben understood my sentiment and generously promised that when Anthony turned 50 in two years, he would provide me the space in the magazine to write a piece about a man who widened the aperture of the game of basketball and inspired me to celebrate truth. With Anthony Mason’s passing, I now plan to honor his legacy at that time and during these days of sadness; this gives me something to look forward to.

Mason, who was a key member of the mid-’90s Knicks teams, suffered a heart attack earlier this month. Per the New York Daily News:

Anthony Mason, a bruising power forward who personified the gritty Knicks of the mid-’90s, died early Saturday morning. He was 48. Mason had suffered a massive heart attack earlier in the month.

Mason played 13 seasons in the NBA with six teams but is best remembered for his days with the Knicks. After playing abroad and in both the CBA and USBL, Mason had brief stints with the Nets and Denver before being signed by Pat Riley, who admired his rugged style and his playmaking ability. Along with Patrick Ewing and Charles Oakley, he helped give the Knicks of the early ’90s one of the most physically imposing front lines in NBA history.

“My heart is heavy after learning we lost Anthony Mason last night,” Ewing said. “We were teammates on the Knicks for five great seasons.

“Mase came to play every night and was always ready to go to battle with me every time we stepped on the court together. I will remember him for his strength, determination and perseverance. My thoughts are with is family. May he rest in peace.”

Adam “MCA” Yauch, the legendary Beastie Boys member, passed away last month at the too-young age of 47. Back in 1995, the Beasties spent a day with then-Knicks forward Anthony Mason and sat down with SLAM for an interview afterward; in honor of MCA’s passing, we’re re-running this awesome 17-year-old story, originally published in SLAM 3 (January ’95). —Ed.

It’s Game Two of the 1994 Conference Semifinals and the Knicks… well, they’re doggin’ it at home against da Bulls. They need a spark, and my boy Starks, messed-up knee and all, is tryin’ to bring ’em back to reality. But his legs are gone, and with no sky, his shot’s ’bout as lethal as any of the Nets centers.

Over on the Knicks bench, Anthony Mason looks like someone just shot his dog. He wants a piece of Pippen’s boys in the worst way, but because of some bad plays earlier in the game, coach Riley has him takin’ a load off.

Riley’s no fool, though. His team’s about as dead as David Koresh, gettin’ out-hustled by guys so wack they should be arrested (like Longley, like Wennington, like Myers). So when he puts Mase back in, the crowd straight bugs, looking for something, anything, to get hyped about.

They get it when Mase sweeps a board and breaks out solo, runnin’ hard. Just over the three-point line, the big man slams on the breaks, freaks the crossover not once, but twice, lookin’ like Tim (honest-to-God). And, as Kukoc stands around catchin’ flies, he pump fakes and hits Oak cutting to the hoop. Two nice.

The Knicks take the game, the series, the Pacers and, eventually, a chill against the Houston Rockets in the Finals. But that makes no difference: Mase did his job that night. And although it’s pretty common knowledge that Riley doesn’t like Mase’s attitude (there’s a thoroughly wack deal pending as of this writing), the Knicks are sorely in need of more dudes who don’t back down, but back up, if you catch the drift.

So it didn’t come as a shock a month later when we asked the Beastie Boys which Knick they’d most like to chill with, and their answer was unanimous: gotta be Mase. And believe this: The Beastie Boys are no fools, goin’ platinum with more style than Rodman or Madonna.

Forget about Licensed to Ill, the album that, unfortunately, brought frat-boy types into the hip-hop party mix (don’t worry, they’re almost gone). The real dope Beastie noyz began with the visionary Paul’s Boutique (which, pretty much, no one bought when it dropped) and followed through Check Your Head, an album blending hardcore and hip-hop, with the Beasties jammin’ on instruments. Their latest, Ill Communication, is just what it sounds like: an album of funk, fuzzy crazy ill shit. The fact that it shipped mad units and blew up n the charts proves that the Beasties are real. For real.

Plus, the Beasties straight-up know hoops. They walk it, talk it and play it (even though they’re small frys, ‘cept for DJ Hurricane). More than that, they’re down with the Knicks—from the good ol’ days of Willis, Bradley, Pearl and Clyde through the black hole of b-ball, inhabited by Truck, Camp and Toby and Ray-Ray and to the current rude boys, Oakley, Starks, Ewing and, hopefully, still, Mase.

We cruised south to Philly with Mase and his boys to catch up with the Beasties, who were busy rockin’ the Lollapalooza tour, both on stage–where they co-headlined—and off—where they set up their own hoop for some mad pickup action. The game that followed that day with Mase was not a thing of beauty; but it was good goof, and everybody who played and watched—a crew which include Phife from Tribe, a couple of funky Luscious Jacksons, and some dude from Ween—seemed to enjoy having the baddest of big men in their midst.

MCA: Yeah let’s make that clear, especially in a basketball-oriented magazine. I’m not recognizing what my skills are, and what they’re not.

SLAM: What about you Mase? Ever look up on stage and say I wish I could do that?

ANTHONY MASON: Yeah, but I’m not gonna say “I wish I wish.” I wish I could get up there and [wave good-bye] to Camp Riley. (Everyone laughs.) Then I could get as big as I wanted as long as I kept my mind right. There are times I picture myself up there, foolin’ around with my own shit or something.

SLAM: So the Beastie Boys grew up in New York?

D: Yeah. Well, me and Adam are from Manhattan and Yauch’s from Brooklyn.

SLAM: What’s your earliest Knicks memory?

D: I had MSG (the Knicks cable channel) in the early days. In ’72, I got it. We were like this pioneering family. We had cable early on. The box we got had 14 channels. And Earl the Pearl lived up the block from us. That was my earliest memory, watching those great Knicks teams dominate. I was around 6 when I got into them.

SLAM: Is it tough to follow them now that you’re in Los Angeles?

D: Nah, because we’re here for a lot of games. We went to every series in the Garden, except for the Finals when we were in Europe. We had to stay up until 2 in the morning, you know, glued to the TV and the games would come on satellite TV. We’d watch ’em, night after night. We were playin’ in London during Game 7 of the Finals. We all went back to the hotel and chilled, all excited. We hooked up the conference room and everything.

SLAM: Mase, you grew up a big Knicks fan, right?

M: Not really, no. I didn’t even play basketball as a kid. I was into baseball heavy, a big Yankees fan. Graig Nettles, Thurman Munson, those guys, man…

SLAM: What position in baseball?

M: Right-handed pitcher, outfield, I probably would have stayed in baseball if I stayed in Jersey. Then I moved back to New York. Baseball wasn’t very popular in New York.

D: But you were in Queens (N.Y.) for awhile, right?

M: Yeah, I started off in Manhattan, then Jersey, then Queens from thirteen on up.

D: Which high school didya go to?

M: Springfield Gardens.

SLAM: So you didn’t die with those Knicks teams, like Ernie Grunfeld and Ray Williams and Campy Russell and…and…you know, Eric Fernsten.

M: No. Matter of fact, the first Knicks game I ever went to was when I went to Tennessee State. Truck Robinson went there so he invited me to a game. I saw Bernard King go off on the Indiana Pacers. That’s when I was like, “Hey, this is fun.”

SLAM: When did you start getting into basketball?

M: When I was a senior in high school I tried out. Coach said I shouldn’t have even made it, but he said I had a lot of potential if I kept working hard at my game.

SLAM: So D, who’s your all-time favorite Knick?

D: I don’t look at it and say “all-time.” When I first came up it was like DeBusschere, Bill Bradley, Frazier. Clyde in a way, ’cause he had the whole style thing workin’. But that was a different era. Then it was McAdoo. Then Bernard King. Then into Pat Ewing. Now into the whole squad.

M: Cool.

D: So what’s up, why’s it always seem like the refs are biased against you guys?

M: I don’t know. ‘Cause we arrogant, we brag about our style and we ain’t ever gonna take a step back. You know, that won’t happen. Other teams use all kinds of cryin’ techniques, and you know, we’re not gonna do that. We’re not gonna kiss ass, and referees don’t like that, so we’re gonna get more attention than other teams.

D: Who talks the most booty trash?

M: There’s not much of that goin’ on because of that stupid new rule but I’d say I was up there last year.

D: Who are the top three?

M: Before the rule? Chuck Person’s probably number one. He could be losin’ by 30 he’d still be talkin’. After that, you know, I’d say it’s probably me and Starks. Because you know, guys like Jordan and those guys, they didn’t talk all that much.

SLAM: What about Gary Payton?

M: He don’t really talk. He’s more with the looks and the “Aaaargh!!” Wild man arrogance.

D: What about Reggie Miller?

M: He’s started talking lately. you can get him into talking now. He used to just play.

D: Does it work a lot in the games you think?

M: Yeah, it works for me.

SLAM: Who’s the easiest guy to intimidate?

M: There’s a lot of ’em.

SLAM: Here’s a straight-up hoops question. What do you think the Knicks need for this season?

D: We need to insert Mason into the starting five at the power forward position… I wouldn’t name names but we need to ave another strong power forward that can dunk. That has some speed. Someone like—not that it would ever be feasible—but someone like Alonzo Morning like that who’s quick, who has got speed and size. But you never know, Charles Smith can step up.

MCA: Yo, and we need different dancers.

D: Yeah, we got to lose them. And the music too.

SLAM: What about the Nets music?

M: The Nets music is disgusting. It’s tired, man.

D: What about the Indiana Pacers dancers?

M: They cool.

SLAM: So when you’re in the huddle, are you checking things out, are you tuning Riley out a little bit?

SLAM: What about you guys? Are you checking out the crowd all the time?

MCA: We’ll be checkin’ tonight ’cause they’re throwing shit.

D: Yeah, we gotta check it out,’cause this crowd is crazy.

MCA: They’re throwing shit, like at the performers. At the monks. Like they do a blessing, they bless the stage. People started throwing shit at them.

D: You gotta keep heads-up play.

MCA: Gotta keep moving. Keep your feet goin’ all the time.

D: There are elements out there. They fuck with you and distract you from your game. You gotta keep your concentration at all times on-stage. But you know, it’s like people heckling players from the crowd.

SLAM: Do you hear shit Mase?

M: Yeah, a lotta times, like if you’re taking the ball out on the side of the court. Or fans behind the bench.

SLAM: Like that guy in Washington. What’s his name? Robin Fiker.

M: Most of what he says is stupid but after a while he said some things that, yo know, you just lose it. One time he said “Hey Riley, what is that, a Van Gundy suit?” I just lost it. I’d be tryin’ to listen and I’ll fall down laughing. I even saw (Knicks assistant coach Jeff) Van Gundy laughing.

D: Some times when we’re at the Garden, that guy with the gray hair… who sits right closest to the center…

It feels safe to assume the Beastie Boys are pretty big hoop heads. Group members have produced basketball documentaries, been spotted at Knicks games (Ad-Rock led player introductions last week) and all three were featured with former NBAer Anthony Mason in SLAM 3. Oh, and they rap about the game all the damn time. In honor of their new album—Hot Sauce Committee Part Two, in stores today—here’s a collection of the Beastie Boys’ best roundball references. It’s time to get ill.

The NY Post reports that the Knicks have put what’s left of Eddy Curry’s career in Anthony Mason’s hands: “Mason, a former Knicks forward who embodied the team’s defense and toughness from the 1991-1996 glory days, wore a Knicks coaching shirt yesterday and appeared briefly on the court. But mostly Mason’s work with Curry will be behind the scenes, in the weight room where they will be workout partners. Curry, who could be cleared for practice in the next two weeks, is out with a right hamstring strain, but the Knicks also want him to lose more weight and Mase is on the case. Curry was not permitted to go to Milan and Paris, partly to work out with Mason. Mason, out of Springfield Gardens, is trying to get back into the league as a coach/special instructor.

UPDATE: The Knicks might want to think about hiring a financial advisor for Eddy. TMZ has the latest on Curry’s money problems: “Curry is being sued by a company called Mojo Development — who claims they loaned the 7-footer $200,000 back in 2008 … but Curry never paid it back. According to the lawsuit, filed days ago in L.A. County Superior Court, Curry is also on the hook for a $25k ‘consulting fee’ and $136,000 in interest from the loan.”

Anthony Mason and Charles Oakley… Do not f@ck with them on the basketball court… or in a back ally…you will lose. Mason was only 6’7″ but still very efficient at the power forward position. He made up for his lack of height with his wide frame and superior strength (try getting around a Mason box out, not gonna happen). He was drafted by the Blazers in the 3rd, yes 3rd, round of the 1988 NBA Draft but was cut and ended up suiting up for the Nets at the start of the ’89 season. He didn’t blossom into the beast we all know until playing under Pat Riley with the Knicks. Mason was named 6th Man of the year in ’95 and was an All Star in 2001 with Miami when he put up his best numbers as pro: 16.1 pts, 9.6 rbs. Mason also had perhaps the wackest foul shot in the history of basketball. Nothin but love, Anthony! Need more scrappy players like this in the league. Shout out to Misiek for the mix

@Schneezy

For more old school videos, check out SLAMtv in the Media section.

Have an old school video you want to see in FOTS? Send the video link to slamteam@harris-pub.com

Although the Eastern Conference currently features three loaded powerhouses in Boston, Cleveland and Orlando, its overall talent and quality of teams falls short to the West. It’s been the case the entire decade. But there was a time not too long ago when the gap between the conferences was far greater, where the Western’s dominance wasn’t even questioned due to a lack of elite teams as well as a shortage of great players in the East.

The 2001 NBA All-Star Game was clearly evident of this fact, featuring a Western Conference roster that dwarfed its counterparts in skill and size. Just look at the starters:

For the East, it was Allen Iverson, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, Antonio Davis (starting for the injured Alonzo Mourning) and Anthony Mason (starting in place of Grant Hill). Pretty good unit.

On the other side, the West featured Jason Kidd, Kobe Bryant, Chris Webber, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett (for the injured Shaquille O’Neal). Beastly. And here’s some bench names for ya – Karl Malone, Gary Payton and David Robinson.

There’s no argument — one roster was ripe with talent while the other was simply full of Hall-of-Famers. Nobody expected the East to pull this one out.

But once Garnett and Davis lined up for the tip-off, the game began to follow the usual all-star game track. The first three quarters are a highlight reel rather than a competitive game – nobody really cares who’s winning or losing early – that is, until the two clubs suddenly begin to play for the victory once crunch time arrives sometime in the fourth. It’s amazing how the game transforms so quickly from an exhibition of dazzling moments into a battle of pride for the respective conferences. 2001 takes the crown since the highlight portion was quite spectacular only to be followed by one of the greatest down-to-the-wire comebacks in All-Star Game history.

The West jumped out to an early 15-2 lead which they didn’t relinquish until very late, carrying a 19-point lead into the fourth quarter. So while the score might not have been so exciting through the opening 36 minutes, the thrilling plays certainly came in heavy doses.

Amidst a multitude of first quarter dunks, including high-flying alley oops to Garnett and Ray Allen, Iverson delivered a beautiful underarm self pass that he finished in reverse lay-up fashion. The crowd and the camera wasn’t exactly sure what happened. I was – it’s called amazing body control.

In the second quarter, Carter displayed a nasty 360 that would’ve been considered ordinary in the dunk contest. He drew a hilarious reaction from Shaq, of course. Later in the quarter, Mason dashed a cross-court bouncer to Vince who finished with a hard windmill.These were the kind of dunks that made you realize just how athletic Vince was, how his 2000 dunk contest performance should not be taken for granted.

In the third quarter, Kobe and Garnett were involved on the two best alley-oops of the game. First, Kobe had the ball on a break and laid up a perfect pass off the backboard, where a trailing KG emerged out of a pack, went sky-high and threw it down with a huge right hand dunk.

Only a few moments later, the roles reversed as Garnett floated the rock away from the rim only to have Kobe reach back behind his head and slam it home which drew plenty of buzz around the MCI center.

But as the final quarter was looming with the East down by 19, nobody anticipated what would happen next.

The fourth quarter began lazily, with the West still holding a comfortable 21 point lead with nine minutes remaining. The Eastern conference couldn’t find the net whatsoever, and as Kobe and Shaq delivered a bilingual comical analysis on the sideline, it seemed like this all star game was headed for a laugher.

That is, until the East put on their running shoes. In the next stretch, Carter, Ray-Ray, and Stackhouse were gunning after every defensive board – all contributing to a quick three minute, 11-1 run that left the East trailing, 96-85.

Iverson, recognizing that the Western Conference was well within reach, took over at the helm. On each possession, he immediately got the ball in his hand and ran down the court with a head of steam. Easy jump stop for a layup. Finds Stackhouse off the inbound for an open three. Finds Vince on the next possession for another trifecta.

And with that, the defensive intensity on the Eastern side clearly maximized – as Dikembe Mutombo manned the middle with tenacity, the Western stars couldn’t help but settle for long jumpers.

Off a well-defended turn around miss by Kobe on the following possession, the Answer grabbed the board and demonstrated the speed. He flew down the court in a split second, outrunning his whole team and every defender as well. Kidd could do nothing but foul the little guy at the top of the key, yet Iverson was able to take two huge steps to get the easy continuation at the rim. And 1, and a score of 100-96. The West’s insurmountable lead was now in the past.

After another two great defensive stands by Mutombo, Iverson hit two free throws following a hard drive…and then out-sprints everyone again to the hole only to have McGrady pick up the loose change for an easy bucket. And just like that, the game was tied at the century mark.

Iverson wasn’t even close to done as the final three minutes made for scintillating television. Following a KG jumper, AI nailed an open three that gave the East their first lead 45 minutes into the contest, 103-102, only to head back to the strike on another long, touch drive to the hole. After converting both free-throw attempts, the East had the lead once again, 105-104. And although Iverson did so much more than just score in this game – it’s hard to ignore that 15 of his 25 points came in the final quarter.

Then all of a sudden – the battle of Bryant vs. Marbury emerged. With a little over a minute remaining, Kobe dropped two long jumpers off the dribble that gave the West the 108-105 lead. And although many thought the ball might have gone back to Iverson, the other little guy instead spotted up and drained the game-tying three-ball in Webber’s eye. Starbury had been quiet since hitting a three to open the quarter, but he shined in the final minute.

The West’s final points came with 37 seconds left as Kobe (you guessed it) converted an impossible jumper that had his team up 110-108, but Marbury takes the lead right back with another beautiful rainbow from beyond the arc. 111-110, East led with 28 seconds remaining. That’s six points each for Kobe and Marbury in the last two minutes. But on the West’s final possession, Starbury would now contribute on the defensive end, forcing Kobe to give up the last shot to Duncan. After the buzzer sounded and TD’s shot fell short – AI, Marbury and co. shot down the court, pointing to the crowd and their respective home white jerseys.

What a show. What a comeback. What a performance by Iverson and Marbury, the two smallest guys on the court, down the stretch. AI would be named All-Star Game MVP for his heroics and leadership – leading to a memorable moment where Allen asked for his coach, Larry Brown, at the podium.

So, with apologies to the 2003 All-Star Game (Michael Jordan’s final appearance), this game had it all. Sick passes, unconventional moves, high-flying dunks as well as an incredibly competitive fourth quarter. And here’s the best part – even in a game of all-stars, we witnessed a captivating underdog story.

Mase owes Uncle Sam quite a bit of loot in unpaid taxes: “Former Milwaukee Bucks and New York Knicks star Anthony Mason, famous for shaving slogans in his hair, owes more than $1.8 million in state and federal taxes, records show. His state income tax debt alone is the 11th largest delinquency in Wisconsin, where he played for the Bucks from 2001-03. Mason, 42, known for this brutish style, earned more than $41.4 million in salary during his NBA career.”